Family Ties
by IMTheresa
Summary: It's always been Dean's job to take care of Sam, but where does his responsibility end?
1. Chapter 1

**Family Ties**

**Chapter One**

**Disclaimer:** If I owned them, I wouldn't be posting here, now would I?

**A/N: **I survived the big wind storm in Washington and being without power for a couple of days. I was without Internet access for a few days longer and that was almost worst than having no heat when it was 30 degrees outside. I started this story the old fashioned way – a pen, some paper and a candle for light. I hope you like where this story leads us… I love hearing from you guys!

oooOOOooo

Other things may change us, but we start and end with family - _Anthony Brandt _

oooOOOooo

Dean Winchester stood near his younger brother as their father stalked into the room. He wasn't afraid of his father, exactly, but he definitely had a healthy respect for him. This was especially true when John was angry and there was little chance he wasn't angry now.

John glanced at his older son as he sat on the couch next to Sam. The boy's feet were propped on the coffee table, one ankle carefully wrapped with an elastic bandage. Jim Murphy, a family friend, couldn't help but notice the tension in the room as he entered a moment later with ibuprofen and a bag of ice. He saw the wariness in Dean's eyes and could almost feel his trepidation.

He knew that Dean wasn't afraid of what his father might do. John Winchester was many things, a lot of them unpleasant, but he would never physically harm one of his boys. Jim knew Dean was afraid of his father's disappointment. He tried to catch the young man's eye with a smile of encouragement, but the boy refused to look away from his brother.

"Here you go, Sammy." Jim said as he sat on the couch. He cast a warning glance at John, who was examining cuts and bruises on Sam's skin.

Sam took the pills offered and swallowed them with the water he already had as Jim carefully put the ice on his ankle. Jim knew John had yet to say anything.

"Thanks." Sam said, his eyes on his father.

Satisfied the injuries were minor, John relaxed a bit but when he asked what happened, it sounded more like a bark than a question. Even though John was looking at Sam, everyone in the room knew the question was aimed at Dean. Jim felt sorry for the boy as he tensed even more and seemed to stand at attention.

"It was a poltergeist." Jim answered before Dean could. "It was a quick job that I knew the boys could handle."

"It was my fault." Dean interrupted.

John finally looked at his older son and Dean seemed to melt under the gaze. At least that was what Jim imagined. The truth was that Dean stood up under the scrutiny and was shouldering the responsibility well. It was a responsibility he shouldn't have, Jim knew, because the only way Dean could have stopped Sam from getting hurt would have been to leave him out of the job completely.

"The poltergeist started throwing things at us almost as soon as we walked in." Dean continued. "And there was already all kinds of things broken on the floor. We started cleansing the place, but I should have done something to get the situation under control. Sammy was pushed down some stairs before I could get to him. I finished the job and got him back here."

"You're sure his ankle isn't broken?"

"Yes, sir."

John looked at Jim.

"It's not broken, but if it would make you feel any better, I could have Joel x-ray it." Jim said offering up the services of a member of his church who knew about the paranormal investigations Jim was sometimes involved with.

"Let's see how he is tomorrow." John said.

Sam found it odd that his father's words sounded so harsh when the hand placed on his shoulder was more than gentle. He looked apologetically at his brother, who was now staring straight ahead.

"Have you eaten?" Jim asked his friend. "I was just about to put some hamburgers on the grill."

"I haven't. Thanks."

"There's beer in the refrigerator. Help yourself."

John understood Jim's offer meant the pastor wanted to talk to him alone. He squeezed his son's shoulder and followed Jim into the kitchen. Sam was the only one to see the pain in his brother's eyes when John walked past him without a word.

While John took a beer from the refrigerator, Jim picked up the plate of hamburger patties and walked outside to the grill he'd lit earlier.

"You know Sam getting hurt was more my fault than Dean's." Jim said as soon as John had closed the back door. He knew taking responsibility in front of Dean would have only made the boy feel worse, which was why he said nothing inside. "And the only reason I called you was so you wouldn't explode the moment you saw his bandaged ankle."

"Since when do you send my boys on assignments?" John asked, glaring at him.

Most people were intimidated by John Winchester, and with good reason, but Jim met him when John was a much different man. He respected John, but did not fear him.

"They were getting bored waiting for you, so I sent them to take care of something I knew they could handle."

"Sam is fifteen."

"You've let him participate in hunts before." Jim said calmly as he put the hamburger patties on the grill.

"He's been on two hunts where he played an active role." John said. "And I was there both times."

"Would you be this angry if Sam hadn't gotten hurt?"

"Sammy _did_ get hurt."

"True enough." the pastor agreed. "You're right. They're your sons and I should respect that."

John hadn't expected to win so easily, or at all. Jim was the more rational of the two and tended to use his patience to wear John down and win arguments. Even when John was right, Jim's tactic often worked.

"But – " Jim added quickly. "Dean did not cause that accident and you shouldn't blame him."

"Dean should have known better than to take Sammy with him."

"John, you can't keep putting Dean in the role of parent and then be angry about his choices. You know that boy would just as soon cut off his right arm than let anything happen to his brother."

John took a long swig of the beer.

oooOOOooo

"How are you feeling?" Dean asked.

"Dean –"

"The ice will keep the swelling down." Dean said as he adjusted the bag ice even though it didn't need to be adjusted.

Sam noticed that Dean didn't look him in the eye. He knew their father's attitude hurt his brother, but Dean would never admit it.

"The pills should kick in soon." Dean continued. "If you need something stronger –"

"Come on, man, stop fussing. I'm fine."

Dean left with the bag of ice alone and sat back on the couch next to his brother.

"Hey, Dean?" Sam began uncertainly after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"For what?" Dean asked, still not looking at him.

"For finishing the job and taking care of my ankle. I should have been more careful around those stairs."

Sam knew there was nothing he could say to make Dean feel any better. Ever since he could remember, Dean had taken care of him and blamed himself for any injury, no matter how small. He felt like he had to say something, though, because he could see how sad his brother was.

"It's my job to look out for you, Sammy. I should have been watching you better."

Normally a comment like that from Dean would have been met with annoyance, but Sam could see he was upset, so he let it slide. He hated the way their father often shut Dean out, but he hated the way Dean let it happen even more.

"You know, man, I'm not a little kid anymore. I have to look out for myself on jobs."

"You just need more training."

Sam rolled his eyes. "I'm sure that's exactly what I'll get after my ankle heals."

"Dad's tough but he has his reasons."

"He's tougher on you."

"Let it go, Sammy."

"It's not fair."

"I said let it go." Dean said angrily. A moment later he looked at his brother, anything but anger in his eyes.

oooOOOooo

"You're too hard on him." Jim said as he took the burgers off the grill and breaking the awkward silence.

"I have my reasons."

"You're going to push him too far one of these days."

"He knows where he belongs."

"John –"

"Look, Jim, you're a good friend and I appreciate everything you've done for me and the boys. But I have to handle them how I think best."

Jim looked at him.

"Fine. I'll talk to Dean." John sighed.

"Good. I knew you'd do the right thing." Jim said and walked into the house with the plate of burgers.

"Stay put." Dean said to Sam as he started to stand. "I'll bring it to you."

"I want cheese on the hamburger."

"I know." Dean said as he walked into the kitchen.

"I forgot something outside." Jim said, looking pointedly at John. "Go ahead and start."

John watched as Dean went about putting Sam's dinner together.

"Dean."

He stopped what he was doing and turned to face his father.

"Tell me again what happened with the poltergeist."

"I should have –"

"No, Dean. Tell me what happened with the poltergeist; not what you think you did wrong."

"It started out okay even though the thing was constantly tossing stuff at us. We almost finished the cleansing when it just went crazy and started tossing things off the wall and the shelves. We were headed out to regroup when it pushed Sammy down the stairs."

"But you said you finished the job?"

Dean nodded. "I got Sammy out to the car and went back."

"You did good."

Dean looked at his father, surprised, but turned the emotion inward. He nodded. "Thank you."

"Now let's eat before it all gets cold." John said.

oooOOOooo

After they ate, John and Jim shared a couple of beers on the back porch while Sam and Dean watched a movie and played cards.

Fifteen years ago, when Sam was six months old, John watched as his wife burned in a fire. It wasn't a normal fire and she didn't die in any normal way. He'd been asleep downstairs in front of the television when he heard her yell. He rushed upstairs to find nothing out of the ordinary; Sam was awake in his crib and cooing happily. But something wet fell onto the baby's pillow. And then onto John's hand. When he looked up, he saw Mary pinned to the ceiling and bleeding. It was impossible, but yet there it was. When she burst into flames he heard Dean yelling and he knew he had to do something to save the boys. _Mary's_ boys.

He grabbed Sammy from the crib and put him into Dean's arms. "Take your brother and run, Dean, as fast as you can!"

The four-year-old didn't hesitate; not even for a second. He took Sammy and ran from the house. From that moment on, he was more than Sam's big brother. He was the baby's protector and Sammy was his responsibility.

John stood just inside the doorway, watching his sons. He had nearly been destroyed by Mary's death; by the way she died. The only thing that kept him going, and at first, he was only barely surviving, was his sons. Dean didn't talk for a few weeks after it happened, but every night he would crawl up into John's lap, and was content just to sit with him. Sometimes they would sit on the couch, with Sammy between them.

John worried the longer Dean didn't speak. He worried when he started to find the boy asleep in Sammy's crib, his arm around the baby protectively. He worried when he started seeing what he would later describe as evil around every corner. He wasn't so much scared for himself as he was for the boys. He knew Mary didn't die in any ordinary fire and he was afraid that whatever had killed her would come back for them – for Sammy.

Once John started to understand what he was seeing and knew the ghosts and other beings were real, he worried for his boys even more. The more he learned, the more he needed to teach his sons. They had to learn how to protect themselves from the dangers that most people only imagined. Dean became proficient with firearms almost before he could lift them. He learned how to use all sorts of knives and learned how to fight. When Sam got older, Dean taught him the same skills.

It occasionally crossed John's mind that Dean was too protective of his little brother; more involved than just a brother should be. He unwittingly took on a parenting role even though he was only four years older and just a child himself. And John let him do it. He even encouraged it. As John became more obsessed with finding the thing that killed Mary, he left more and more responsibility to Dean. The older boy shouldered it well and not only took care of Sammy; he took care of his father.

John had been on his way home from handling an exorcism when he got Jim's phone call about Sam being injured. He was only an hour away from the pastor's home, but made it there in record time. Jim told him it was only a sprained ankle, but John had to see for himself. He didn't understand why, but he had always somehow known that protecting Sam was the most important thing he could do; that was something he'd managed to pass onto Dean without ever saying a word about it.

He sped back to Jim's even though he knew he was running the risk of being stopped by the police and he felt like he held his breath the entire way. He didn't feel right until he had examined Sam's injuries for himself and was satisfied he was safe.

It had been a long time since he'd been so angry with Dean. He'd been too angry to even speak to the boy when he got to Jim's. There was only one other time that he felt Dean had been irresponsible in his care of Sammy. John left the boys alone in a motel room while he went off on a job. Dean was only nine; much too young to be alone and in charge of his four year old brother, but it wasn't the first time John left them alone. Though he sometimes left them with Jim, often times they would be left to their own devices.

John closed his eyes briefly, remembering how he rushed into the motel room just in time to save Sam from the Shtriga that was, in effect, stealing his boy's life force. He wasn't there to see Dean calmly pick up the rifle that was filled with rock salt and point it at the thing causing harm to his brother. All he saw was what he thought was Dean hesitating….John shot at it, but the monster got away. He sat on the edge of Sammy's bed, gathered him into his arms and glared at his older son. Not long after, he silently packed them up and drove them to Jim's, about three hours away. When he went back, the Shtriga was nowhere to be found. His days of silence and disapproving stares were more punishment to Dean than anything else he could have done.

John watched his sons and thought about what Jim said; that some day he would push Dean too far. He didn't love his older son any less than he loved Sam, but somehow he knew that Sam had to be protected and it was up to Dean to do it. He wiped away a stray tear and cleared his throat. The boys looked over at him.

It's getting late."

"Yes, sir." they replied in unison.

"How's your ankle feeling, Sammy?"

"It hurts some, but not too bad."

"Have you taken anything else for it?"

"Yes, sir. Dean got me something a little while ago."

"Good. Let me and your brother help you; I don't want you to put any weight on it yet." John said as Dean got to his feet. Together they moved Sam to the bedroom where he was able to maneuver himself to get ready for bed.

The boys certainly didn't need to be tucked in, but John waited until they were settled. He sat on the edge of Dean's bed and the three talked about nothing in particular for a few minutes. There were far too few moments like this between John and his sons, but the father wouldn't allow himself to think about that. It was too hard to be strong when he let himself think that way.

After several minutes, John patted Dean on his leg as he stood up. "Sleep well, boys. I'll see you in the morning."

Sam looked over at his brother as John closed the door.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

Dean reached for the lamp between their beds. "It was just Dad, man."

"Whatever." Sam sighed.

"I've told you before that he's doing the best he can. Give him a break."

oooOOOooo

Dean had a hard time falling asleep and, once he did, he was plagued by dreams. Normally, he wasn't affected by the job and rarely remembered any dreams he had. He didn't like seeing his brother get hurt, no matter how insignificant the injury might be. He knew Sam's ankle would heal in no time, but he couldn't help but feel responsible. After being startled awake by the vision of Sammy falling down the stairs, Dean quietly got out of bed. He stood over Sam, watching him for a moment, before pulling the blanket more securely around him. Sam stirred, but didn't wake up.

The older brother paced in the living room for a few minutes, then grabbed a beer from the kitchen and settled at the small table. He looked up a moment later when Jim walked into the room.

"Are you all right?"

Dean only nodded.

The pastor poured himself a glass of water and sat across from his young friend. He had known Dean for a long time and had taken pleasure in watching him grow from a shy boy into the confident man who now sat in front of him. The only thing that could sway his confidence was any kind of disapproval from his father.

"Sammy sleeping?"

"Yeah. He's fine."

"He's fine, but you're worried."

Dean smiled sadly, then went back to staring at the beer.

"You know you didn't do anything wrong. You've gone over it in your head a hundred times, I'm sure, and you can't find one thing you should have done differently."

Jim waited, but Dean didn't respond.

"If you'd headed for the stairs, it probably would have pushed you instead of Sam, but I'm betting that's the only thing that you could have changed."

"If there's a choice between me getting hurt and Sammy getting hurt, it should be me."

"None of us wants to see someone we love get hurt." Jim said pointedly. "Maybe I shouldn't have sent you to that house."

"Is Dad mad at you?" Dean asked, still staring at the beer.

"Your dad spends most of his time mad at me for some reason or another." Jim chuckled. "I've gotten used to it."

After a few minutes of silence, Jim continued. "John is a good man, Dean, but he's a hard man. He's seen a lot and he's done a lot of things. He wants you and your brother to be tough so you can handle the same kinds of things because he thinks that's the way it has to be. Maybe it does; I don't know. But he's scared for you both and sometimes that fear comes across as anger."

"I know." Dean said quietly. "But –"

"But what, Dean?" Jim prompted after a moment.

The boy shook his head. "Nothing."

Jim wanted to reach out to Dean, to rest a hand on his arm, but he knew Dean would only pull away. John sometimes put a hand on his shoulder and once in a while they shared a hug, but Dean was uncomfortable with physical displays affection from anyone other than his father or brother.

He decided to sit quietly with Dean, offering him the only solace he could.

"Sammy is important, Jim. There's something special about him and I know we have to protect him because of it."

"Your dad tell you that?"

Dean looked at him. "Not exactly. He's always told me it was my job to look after him, but that's all. I don't know if Dad understands it himself, but he knows, too. Maybe we're protecting him from the thing that killed our mom or maybe because he has some important thing to do some day. I don't know."

Jim leaned forward. "You might be right, Dean, I don't know either. But if he does have some destiny to fulfill, then yours is just as important."

Dean looked away and again, Jim wanted to touch him. He knew that John had the same feeling about Sam; they had talked about it countless times over the years. John was desperate to find the thing that killed Mary, but he told Jim he didn't think it was up to him to kill it. He didn't know why, but he felt that somehow it would be up to Sam and that Dean's purpose was to make sure Sam made it to the battle. John only explained this to his oldest son in the most vague terms and in some misguided attempt at protection, neither one would talk to Sam.

oooOOOooo

Two days later, Sam's ankle had healed enough for the Winchesters to move on. Even the safety of Jim's house didn't entice them to stay for very long. There was always another job, always another hunt. This time they were headed to Minnesota to meet Caleb, another good friend, to investigate disappearances outside a small town.

Even though John had eased up his attitude toward Dean, he had said nothing to ease the tension between them. But like Dean always did, he pushed whatever negative feelings he had aside and moved on. Despite John's harshness, Dean never doubted his father's love. Jim knew that he sometimes lost sight of it, but he never doubted it.

The harder John was with Dean, the more Sam resented him for it. Jim knew there was trouble coming for those two, but John was too stubborn to listen to him. Jim occasionally got through to him about Dean, like he had about blaming Dean for Sam's ankle, but he'd never been able to make John listen to him about Sam.

He stood on the porch as John pulled away in the Impala, the car he'd had since before the boys were born. That car was the most stable home either boy ever knew and that thought made Jim incredibly sad.

oooOOOooo

Caleb didn't know what they were hunting, but he had been studying it for days. It didn't appear to be male or female. It didn't seem to be quite corporeal, but he hadn't observed any particular powers other than speed and strength. He'd seen it lift a grown man and carry it deeper into the woods. If it knew Caleb was following, it gave no indication.

He knew of at least four men being held in a cave in a remote area, but he didn't know how to rescue them. They seemed to be cared for; they were fed and given water yet definitely not staying of their own accord. He was pacing in his motel room when John and the boys arrived.

"What happened to you, Slick?" he asked Sam as the boy limped into the room.

"Poltergeist pushed me down a flight of stairs." Sam answered. He sat in the nearest chair and started turning his foot in circles to loosen the ankle.

"Have you found out anything else?" John asked as he walked in and closed the door behind him. Dean took a seat near his brother.

"I don't know what the hell it is, John, but it's definitely holding at least four men."

"Any idea why?"

The younger hunter shook his head.

"No idea what it is?"

"I thought it was some kind of ghost, but it's somewhat solid. Not completely, but some." Caleb shrugged, frustrated. "I've seen it leave footprints."

"And you're sure it's not human?" Dean asked.

"I can see through it in certain light. And it's definitely not male or female."

John rubbed his face. "Can't you ever find anything _normal_?"

Caleb grinned. "What's the matter, John? Not interested in a challenge?"

John only looked at him.

After a moment, Caleb handed Sam a sheet of paper. "That's everything I've noticed about the thing. There's a pretty decent library in the next town –"

Sam looked at his father.

John nodded. "You two are on research."

Dean didn't relish the idea of spending the afternoon in a library, but he recognized research as an important part of the job. He'd much rather be doing something physical, though. He took the keys from his father and helped Sam out to the car.

_TBC_


	2. Chapter 2

**Family Ties**

**Chapter Two**

**Disclaimer:** See chapter one

**A/N**: Thanks so much for the reviews and messages. I love hearing how the story is working for you. I'm not sure I'll be posting again before Christmas, so let me take this opportunity to wish you a happy and safe holiday and a happy 2007.

oooOOOooo

_Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation - _**Kahlil Gibran**

oooOOOooo

"So what's going on with you and the rug rats?" Caleb asked as he drove out of town. He would park as close to the cave as possible and they'd have to walk the rest of the way.

John looked at him. "I don't think two teenagers can be considered rug rats. Besides, you call Dean that to his face and he'll kick your ass."

Caleb smirked. "He can try."

John smiled.

"So?" Caleb asked a moment later.

"So what? Nothing is going on."

"That would be a first."

"What, _exactly_, are you getting at?" John asked. "Do you think you know something?"

"Nope. It's just Sam is hurt and Dean was pretty quiet. That oldest boy of yours ain't the world's greatest conversationalist, but he usually has something to say."

John looked out of the passenger side window.

"You with Sammy when he got hurt?"

"No." John said tensely.

"I get it now." Caleb said knowingly.

"You get what?"

"You and Dean are both blaming big brother for Sammy getting hurt."

"Drop it, Caleb." John cleared his throat. "I'm not blaming Dean for anything."

"You're letting Dean blame himself."

"What the hell is it with you and Jim? Neither one of you has kids, but you feel perfectly justified in telling me how to raise mine."

"We just care about you, man."

John rubbed his face. "I know."

They were quiet again for a few minutes.

"So, these things." John said. "Do they just come out at night?"

"I've seen them during the day."

"How do you keep running into shit like this? Do you go out of your way or something?"

"Just lucky, I guess." Caleb said as he turned onto a forestry service road. "I read about these disappearances and came out here. I figured it would turn out to be hunting accidents or something, but instead I get some freakin' woodland creature."

John looked at him and smiled. "Woodland creature?"

Caleb shrugged. "Whatever, man."

After hiking for over a mile from the already remote forestry service road, Caleb and John hid behind some bushes and watched the cave entrance.

"How do you know there are four people being held?" John whispered.

"I've seen them being walked outside of the cave."

"Being walked? Like on a leash?" John asked.

"Pretty much."

John watched as one of the creatures came out of the cave. It was humanoid, not quite solid and didn't appear to be either male or female. A moment later he saw another of the things walk out of the cave, one of the captives behind him, some kind of collar around his neck.

"See?" Caleb whispered.

"Jesus."

They watched in silence as the creature led the man away from the cave.

"Any idea how many of them there are?"

Caleb shook his head. "I can't tell them apart, but I've seen five of them outside at one time."

"Hopefully the boys can make some headway at the library. I've never seen anything like that."

oooOOOooo

"Anything?" Dean asked Sam as he joined his brother at the small bank of computers.

Sam shook his head. "No. I can't find anything that even remotely matches Caleb's description. What about you?"

"Nada."

"I think we've done all we can here." Sam said, disappointed. Now that he'd been involved in the action of a hunt, he appreciated the research end of the job even more. He also prided himself in excellent research and was annoyed he hadn't been able to find anything useful.

"Dad and Caleb should be back at the motel soon. Ready to head back?"

"Let me try one more place." Sam said as he turned back to the computer.

Dean watched as his younger brother immediately got lost in the research again. He was competent at the task himself, but it was truly Sam's forte.

"Huh." Sam said a few minutes later.

"What?" Dean leaned forward.

"Ausländer."

"Come again?"

Sam looked at him. "It's German for _alien_."

"Like space alien?"

"Any kind of alien."

"And you came on this how?"

Sam turned the monitor so Dean could see. There was a picture that generally resembled the information Caleb had given them.

"Huh." Dean said.

Sam sent the page to the printer. "Some of this sounds like what Caleb told us, too."

"Good work, Sammy." Dean said as his brother continued working.

oooOOOooo

"This is interesting." John said after he'd read through some of the information Sam found. He handed the pages to Caleb who only skimmed them.

"You think we're dealing with Martians?" Caleb asked.

Sam rolled his eyes. "You believe in ghosts but not people on other planets?"

"I've _seen_ ghosts." Caleb said. "I have to admit, though, these pictures look like what's out in the woods. Too bad my laser gun is in the shop."

Sam rolled his eyes again.

John took the pages back from Caleb. "They were first seen in some remote area of France at least a couple hundred years ago and that's what the townspeople called them."

"So are they from outer space or are the supernatural?"

John looked at Sam.

"Probably supernatural." the young man said. "And it looks like there's a pattern to when they show up."

"What's the pattern?" John asked as he looked through the pages again.

"They've been spotted every 10-15 years, in some remote wooded area. Most of the sightings have been in France, but some in other countries. A couple here."

"What do they do?"

Sam looked uncomfortable. "Kidnap people; supposedly to eat them."

"How do we kill them?" Caleb asked. He glanced at Dean who was sitting on one of the beds and hadn't spoken since coming into the room.

"They are times of the day when they're almost completely solid. They can be killed with fire then." Sam said.

"And what do we have to look out for? Any special powers?"

"Incredible strength, but nothing telepathic."

"Okay." John said. "How about we go out for something to eat and put the plan together?"

"Great idea." Caleb agreed. He slapped Dean on his back. "What do you feel like, Ace?"

"Anything is fine." Dean said quietly.

Sam looked at his brother, then to his father.

"I'm gonna go to the office and get us another room." John said after clearing his throat. "I'll meet you guys in the parking lot."

Caleb glanced at Sam, then followed John outside.

"I'm gonna talk to him." Sam said.

"Just let it go, Sammy."

"How am I supposed to let it go? He's treating you like crap and you didn't do anything wrong."

"It's fine."

"It's not fine, Dean. Come on, man –"

"Just let me handle this in my own way, okay?"

Sam sighed. "It's been days – and it's just a sprained ankle!"

"He told me I did good." Dean said.

"But he's still treating you like crap."

Dean looked at him, his eyes pleading. Sam backed off.

oooOOOooo

Over dinner the hunters discussed their options for dealing with the Ausländer. Normally Dean would contribute ideas, but other than ordering a burger well-done, he said nothing. John glanced at him a few times, but didn't encourage him to add anything to the conversation.

"Hey, Sammy." Caleb said, putting his arm around the boy's shoulder as they walked toward his motel room. "It's been a while since you and I bunked together. What do you say?"

Sam glanced at Dean. "Sure. Just don't snore too loud."

"I don't snore, kid."

"Whatever."

Dean followed his father to the room he'd rented before they left for dinner. He dropped his duffle bag next to one of the beds and silently headed for the bathroom. When he got back to the room, John had the television on and was watching the news. They didn't speak and eventually Dean fell asleep, buried under the covers. Before turning out the light, John spent several minutes watching his older boy. He knew it would only take one word from him to bring Dean out of his depression, but John wasn't ready to give that to him.

For the third night in a row, Dean saw Sam fall down the flight of stairs in a nightmare. But this time the injury wasn't a simple sprained ankle. He yelled his brother's name as he saw his body on the floor, his limbs turned in impossible directions. When he opened his eyes, he saw his father sitting on the edge of his bed, a protective hand on his shoulder.

"It's all right, Son." John said, more gently than Dean was used to.

"Sammy's with Caleb, right?"

"Sammy's fine. He's with Caleb."

Dean rubbed his face. John watched him for a moment, then moved across the room. "Dean –"

John leaned against a wall and looked at his son. "Sammy getting hurt –"

"It was my fault."

"When I told you that you'd done well, I didn't mean finishing off the poltergeist. You took care of your brother. I shouldn't be holding his ankle against you."

Dean said nothing. He wanted to hear his father say he was sorry, but he knew that would never happen. He watched as John moved back to his side and sat on the edge of the bed.

"You know how to do your job. You know how to look out for your brother. I trust you implicitly, Son."

Dean nodded, unable to speak.

Sam and Caleb noticed the change in Dean the next morning. They discussed the plan again over breakfast and, this time, Dean offered some suggestions. Two hours later they were in the woods, watching the cave entrance.

oooOOOooo

Caleb had charted the movements of the creatures and knew they would be taking their prisoners to a nearby lake soon. They would be allowed to bathe with one of the creatures standing guard. The others would be back at the cave, but Caleb didn't know exactly what they would be doing. The hunters figured this would be their best opportunity to destroy the majority of them.

They split into two groups; John and Dean would handle the cave while Sam and Caleb would try to rescue the men at the lake. In theory, everything should have gone according to plan.

Caleb sat back against a tree, holding his arm close to his side, and wondered how the hell he was going to tell John what happened.

oooOOOooo

John paced around the pre-arranged meeting spot, concerned that Caleb and Sam weren't there yet. Dean was sitting on a large rock, alternating between watching him and looking down the path Sam and Caleb would be coming from.

"Something's wrong." Dean finally said.

John glanced at him and they returned to silence. A few minutes later Dean jumped up.

"Caleb!" he yelled. John followed his gaze and saw Caleb walking toward them, somewhat unsteady, and holding one arm close to his body.

"Where's Sammy?" Dean demanded, grabbing Caleb's shoulders.

"Easy, kid." he said, pulling away.

"Where is my brother!?"

Caleb looked at John when the older man approached. John put a hand on Dean's back. "Come on, Son. Let him go."

Dean looked at him.

"Dean." John said softly as he saw the creatures' prisoners slowly coming up the path.

Reluctantly, the boy let Caleb go. "Where is he?"

Caleb looked at him, then at John.

"The Ausländer." Caleb shrugged. "It ran off with Sam."

Dean didn't hesitate. He broke into a run, going toward the lake. John called after him, but Dean didn't stop.

"You okay?" John asked quickly.

"Arm's probably not broken. Go after him."

John didn't catch up to Dean until they were almost at the lake. He managed to grab his son's shoulder and spin him around, but Dean struggled to get away.

"Stop it, Dean! We need a game plan. We need –"

"We need to get Sammy back!"

"We will, Dean." John was adamant. "But going off half-cocked is not the right way to do that."

"Dad –"

"Dean, listen to me." John put his hands on his son's shoulders and looked him in the eye. "Listen to me."

Dean stopped struggling against him.

"We need to figure out the next step. I want to get your brother back as much as you do, but I'm not willing for you to get hurt, too."

It had been a long time since Dean saw tears in his father's eyes. He didn't resist when John put his arms around him and held him close. "We'll get him back, Dean."

_TBC_


	3. Chapter 3

**Family Ties**

**Chapter Three**

**Disclaimer:** See chapter one

**A/N**: Thanks so much for your feedback; I enjoy reading your thoughts. Thanks, too, for Kelli's proofreading. Happy Holidays!

oooOOOooo

_I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection _- **_Sigmund Freud_**

oooOOOooo

Dean followed John back to where they'd left Caleb. He was leaning against a tree, cradling his arm and John kneeled down next to him to examine the injury.

"It's fine." Caleb said, he looked toward Dean. "John –"

"Don't." he said gruffly. "Don't apologize. Just tell me what happened so I can figure out how to get my son back."

Caleb leaned his head back against the tree. "I used the flame thrower on the thing, but I don't think it was quite solid enough yet. The guys here started running and Sam kind of herded them in the right direction. All of a sudden that thing had hold of him and was running off toward the cave.

"Can you get back to town on your own?"

"I can help –"

"You're hurt."

"John –"

John stood up. "Get these people back to town. They've been through enough."

Caleb started to protest again, but John walked away. A moment later he and Dean watched as they headed off in the direction of Caleb's car, parked at the forestry service road. It would be a tight fit, but they'd make it back to town.

Before going to the cave and starting the search for Sam, John and Dean spent a few minutes checking their weapons. John glanced at his son several times; his eyes were glassy but he kept his emotions in check. John wasn't sure he could follow suite.

Dean had been hunting with him for three years and while there had been injuries and close calls, there was never need for a rescue. This was only Sam's third time in the field and John felt nothing but guilt over how it was turning out. He couldn't stomach the thought of losing one of his sons and he knew if they weren't able to get Sam back, Dean would never be the same.

"Ready?" John asked a few minutes later, relieved that his voice didn't betray him. He wasn't feeling anywhere near as calm as he hoped he sounded.

"Yes, sir." Dean stood up, practically at attention.

"Let's go." John said and led the way.

They walked without talking, each thinking only of Sam. Dean didn't feel fear often, but he was more scared right now than he ever thought possible. The idea that they might not be able to save Sam was excruciating. He realized that he barely remembered life before his brother came along. Granted, he was only four when Sam was born, but one thing he recalled without question was how excited he was when his parents told him he was going to have a little brother or sister. Even now he could picture Mary sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, holding Sammy, when Dean and John came to take them home. He remembered how Sammy felt in his arms the first time he was allowed to hold him. Dean shook his head to clear the memories. He'd fallen behind and had to jog to catch up to his father.

John's thoughts were in pretty much the same place as Dean's. He remembered his son's first six months; the only time he had with his mother. He'd been a happy baby; it was almost like he knew from the very beginning he was surrounded by love. John recalled how Dean was enchanted with his little brother and how he was content to watch Saturday morning cartoons with Sam at his side on the couch. Dean was never jealous of the extra attention the baby needed; instead he was always nearby to lend a hand. John used to joke with Mary that Dean was there to make sure the adults did everything right.

He didn't know what, but he knew there was something special about Sammy. He was convinced that was why, what Missouri Mosley called true evil, came to their house. They had to get Sam back; he had something important to do. Besides, Sam was his son and he was still just a boy. He was too young to die at the hand of some creature.

John put the weapons bag down and crouched behind a grouping of bushes. He glanced at Dean as he followed suit and they spent the next few minutes watching the cave entrance and studying the area around it, whispering about strategy.

From what little they knew about these strange creatures, they suspected the time had passed where fire would kill them and they didn't know what other options they had. Dean didn't care; he was willing to rush in without heed for his own safety. John was proud of the way Dean cared for his younger brother, but also worried that it sometimes made him careless.

John didn't like going into a dangerous situation without ample preparation. He especially didn't like having to do it with his son by his side. He was afraid he'd already lost one child and he wasn't willing to lose both.

"I'm going in to check it out. I want you to stay outside the cave –"

"That's crazy, Dad. You might need backup in there."

"Dean –"

"We don't know what this thing can do. We don't know if any of our weapons will even have an impact –"

"Which is exactly why I want you to hang back." John felt an unfamiliar desire to plead with Dean, but instead issued an order. "I mean it."

Dean wanted to react angrily, but he didn't know how to defy his father so he did the only thing he could and nodded his agreement.

As John made his way slowly into the cave he couldn't help but think about the Wendigo he'd hunted before. The advantage with a Wendigo was that the horrendous smell would announce its presence. He had no idea how to track or kill this new creature, but he was determined to get his son back if it wasn't already too late.

Earlier John and Dean had stood at the mouth of the cave, aiming flamethrowers inside, slowly advancing and burning everything they could. John was sure they'd destroyed the three Ausländers inside, but proceeded carefully nonetheless. He paused when he reached the end of the light provided by the cave entrance and, having no choice, trained a powerful flashlight at the darkness before him.

Dean was pacing just outside the cave entrance, alternating between watching his father and keeping an eye out for any danger from the woods. He wanted to be with his father, he wanted to be actively looking for Sam instead of being relegated to some almost unnecessary job away from the danger. Dean knew there was a possibility that the Ausländer wasn't inside the cave; he'd been a part of destroying everything inside not that long ago. But they didn't know what other protection the cave might offer the creatures, though he didn't think the thing was in the woods waiting to sneak up on them from behind.

Once John was too far inside the cave for Dean to see him, he wandered further away from the entrance to check out the surrounding area a little more. Something caught his eye in the underbrush a few yards away. When he got closet to it, he recognized Sam's coat. He grabbed it and desperately looked around for any sign of his brother, but quickly calmed himself knowing he had to be careful or he might miss something.

oooOOOooo

Caleb got the four men into town safely and convinced them that telling the complete truth would not be in their best interest. He would have preferred not bringing them back until John and Dean had time to find Sam; they didn't need law enforcement on their tails during the search. Waiting wasn't a viable option, though, because one of the men had a nasty gash on his arm that looked like it was infected. He'd already been without medical care long enough. Caleb paused at the motel long enough to take are of his own arm and called Jim while he worked on it.

oooOOOooo

Dean picked up a trail and was considering going back for his father when he heard Sam yelling off in the distance. He quickened his pace, giving only a moment of thought to how dangerous the situation was. His main concern was Sam and getting him back.

He paused hearing Sam's scream again. This time he sounded like he was in pain.

"It's okay, Sammy." Dean whispered as he trudged forward. "I'm coming."

He paused again when he saw the Ausländer moving off to the right, but there was no sign of Sam. He considered shooing the creature and looking for Sam in safety, but he had no idea where his brother was and the woods were incredibly dense. He decided instead to follow it and hope it led him to Sam.

oooOOOooo

It didn't take very long for John to figure out that the creature had not returned to the cave, but by the time he made it back outside, Dean was gone. Normally unflappable, John felt a moment of panic, but a search revealed the trail Dean had discovered. He moved forward cautiously, but quickly.

oooOOOooo

Dean saw Sam lying on the ground, a rope tying his hands and legs behind his back. The other end held by the Ausländer. His brother cried out in pain when the creature jerked the rope taunt. Dean could see the thing wasn't corporeal, but he hoped the rock salt would have some affect on it. Some affect that wouldn't cause further pain to Sam. He leveled the rifle and took careful aim.

Sam jerked when he heard the shot and the creature cried out when the rock salt hit it. Dean shot again and this time the Ausländer disappeared. As soon as it was gone Sam tried to free himself, but only managed to cause himself more pain. Dean rushed forward calling his brother's name.

"Dean –"

"It's okay, Sammy." Dean said as he carefully removed the rope. "It's okay. Are you hurt? Anything broken?"

"No. I'm okay."

Dean examined him quickly and, satisfied he was all right, helped him to stand.

"Where's Dad?"

"He was inside the cave when I found your trail. I came looking for you."

"You left him? Dude –"

"Come on, Sammy. I don't know how long that thing is gonna be gone and we have to get out of here."

oooOOOooo

John saw his boys walking toward him and was flooded with relief. It was short-lived, however, as the Ausländer was suddenly between them.

Dean took a protective step in front of his brother and aimed the gun. John did the same from behind the creature, taking a step to the right. If the salt went through it, he didn't want it to hit the boys. Before either could fire, the thing became practically invisible and moved away from between John and his sons.

_You killed my kin._

The Winchesters heard the voice even though the creature didn't speak out loud. It moved faster than it was possible to see and grabbed the gun first from Dean and then from John.

_I'm going to take one of you and leave._

Dean moved so that he was completely in front of Sam.

"Dean, no." Sam whispered.

"Shut up, Sammy."

John took a mental inventory of the weapons he had with him, but nothing would have an affect on the creature unless it was at least partially corporeal. Based on the information they had, that wouldn't be until the next day. He tried to catch Dean's eye, but his son refused to look at him.

"Let my brother and father go." Dean said.

"Dean –" Sam grabbed his brother's shoulder, but Dean shrugged him off. He took a step toward the creature.

John didn't know if it would work; he doubted it would, but his pulled a taser from his jacket pocket. He barely took time to aim before shooting the thing full of electricity. It didn't seem to weaken the creature, but while it was being shocked, it became more solid. Before John to react to this new information, the Ausländer grabbed Dean and disappeared.

"DEAN!" Sam yelled.

John watched as the Ausländer made a trail through the deep underbrush.

"Sammy, you have to find your way back to the car." he said quickly. "Can you do that?"

"Dad –"

John put a hand on his shoulder. "It's going to be okay. I can follow that thing, but I want you out of here. You'll have a cell signal at the car. Call Caleb and tell him to come for you."

"Dad, no, I –"

"I need you to do this, Son."

Sam was used to orders from his father, not this. He nodded reluctantly.

John squeezed his shoulder and watched him as he walked away. A moment later he rushed off the same direction as the Ausländer.

oooOOOooo

Caleb was already on his way back when his cell phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID display before answering. "John –"

"It's Sam."

"Sam! Hey, kiddo! You're okay!"

"It has Dean now and Dad is going after it. He told me to call you and have you come for me –"

"Jesus Christ." Caleb whispered. "Look, don't worry, Sammy. I'm already on my way. There's more help coming, too."

"Who?"

"I called Jim. He knew of some other hunters in the area and they're headed this way."

"Jim –" Sam's voice cracked.

"It's okay, Sammy. Your dad is good. I'll be there soon, kid. You want to stay on the phone?"

"No, I'm all right."

"Yeah, well, maybe I'm not."

Sam smiled to himself. "Thanks, Caleb."

_TBC_


	4. Chapter 4

**Family Ties**

**Chapter Four**

**Disclaimer:** See chapter one

**A/N**: I really appreciate the reviews; I'm glad you've enjoyed this one so far. We've come to the end of this little adventure and I'd love to know what you thought. Thanks to Kelli for proofreading once again.

oooOOOooo

_We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have - ** Frederick Keonigs**_

oooOOOooo

John could follow a trail through anything and, although the Ausländer wasn't making it easy, he was able to track it. As he made his way through the woods, he went through everything they thought they knew about the thing. The information Sam found said it had no telepathic abilities, but clearly it didn't communicate with them verbally. John wondered what else it might be able to do telepathically. He also wondered how it seemed to disappear while it was holding Dean. He had attributed that to speed, but now he wasn't sure.

He realized the creature was making its way back to the cave. Was it because that it was home or was there something there he had missed? Suddenly John was thinking about Dean. It had seemingly been so easy for him to sacrifice himself for his brother. He realized that was exactly what he had trained the boy to do, but seeing it happen – he realized he'd trained Dean a little too well.

oooOOOooo

Caleb arrived much sooner than Sam expected and there was another car behind him.

"Your arm –" Sam said as soon as Caleb had gotten out of his car.

"It's fine." he pulled the younger boy into a hug. "I'm so sorry, Sammy. I'm so sorry you got taken –"

"It's okay, man. It's one of the dangers of the hunt. Besides, it has Dean now and we have to find him –" he looked at the unfamiliar men coming toward them.

Caleb made quick introductions.

"Any idea where the thing was headed?" Caleb asked.

"Where was its home?"

All eyes turned to the hunter that Caleb had introduced as Ben.

"You know about these things?" Sam asked.

"A little. I ran into a group of them when I was in Ireland a few years ago. There's a home base it will keep going back to –"

"The cave." Sam said.

"Caleb mentioned three of them were killed in a cave –"

"Why will it go back there?" Caleb asked.

Ben shrugged. "I don't know for sure. It might just be because it's familiar."

"So you think it will take Dean to the cave?"

"Probably. And in the process –"

"Lay a trap for my father." Sam said quietly.

Caleb put an arm around his shoulders. "Easy, there, Slick."

"Let's go." Sam said, trying to pull away from his friend.

"Hold up." Caleb kept a hold on his shoulder. "You're staying here."

Sam looked toward the other hunters, then glared at Caleb. "We're talking about my family here."

"I know we are." Caleb said, leading him away from the group as they busied themselves with getting the weapons ready. "But your father told you to call me so I could take you back to town. At the very least –"

"I'm not staying here." Sam said defiantly. "And the longer we argue about it, the more time we waste."

Caleb sighed. Why were all the Winchesters so damn stubborn? He turned back to Ben. "So you know how to kill them when they aren't solid?"

"Shoot them with a stun gun or something similar. That makes them solid for a couple seconds. Take that opportunity to hit them with fire."

oooOOOooo

John put his hand into his jacket pocket and touched the taser. He thought about the way hitting it with electricity had turned the creature solid briefly. His plan was to electrocute it again and then turn the flame thrower on it. He just hoped he could reach it before it hurt Dean; or did something worse.

He tracked the Ausländer to the cave and stopped short when he saw Dean tied to a tree outside the entrance. His son saw him and cast him a warning look, then nodded toward the cave. John knew that meant the thing was close by. He couldn't help but notice the blood on Dean's face, but he didn't know where it was coming from.

"Can you use a hand?" Caleb asked as he stood next to John.

"What the –" he looked behind his friend and saw Sam, surrounded by a small group of hunters. He recognized them, but only knew one, Raul, by name.

"You were supposed to take Sam back to the motel."

"Yeah, well, I thought a little help might be a better idea."

John glared at him. "How's your arm?"

"Good enough." he nodded toward Ben. "He knows how to kill it."

Ben moved forward as John said, "So do I. You been up against these things before?"

"Once. A few years ago. So you know about electricity?"

John nodded. "Yeah."

Ben looked toward the cave entrance and saw Dean. "Some of us can go in and some of us can untie your boy –"

John looked back at the hunters. "Sammy –"

"Don't ask me to stay behind because I won't do it."

John wasn't entirely surprised by his defiance. There had been hints of it before, but more than that, he knew that his younger son needed to be a part of getting his brother back. John could order him, and Sam might even obey, but he knew it would be better to let him be a part of the rescue.

"Your ankle all right?" John asked.

Sam nodded. "It's good enough."

"Yeah. Like Caleb's arm."

Sam stared at him.

"Let's do this." John said.

The group started forward stealthily, moving in from two different directions. John suspected the creature had been watching them, but he hoped they would be able to get to the cave while it was still inside. Instead, the thing came out and stood next to Dean with one hand on his shoulder. John was holding one taser and Ben another, but both dropped to their sides, afraid if they shot the Ausländer, they would also be shooting Dean.

They could see Dean tense and struggle not to cry out in pain. Standing next to his father, Sam flinched, but he didn't rush forward like John was afraid he would do.

"Dad –"

John put a hand on his shoulder and looked at Dean. He tried to convey confidence, but was afraid he fell short. He saw the pain in his son's eyes, but he also saw trust.

"How are we going to get to Dean?" Sam asked. He glanced over at his brother again and saw him grimace. "That thing is hurting him!"

"Sam." John said in warning. He looked at Ben. "So, is there a minimum voltage that will make it become solid?

"I honestly don't know. But even a low voltage could affect to your boy."

"Do you know of any other way to kill it?"

"Not when it isn't solid."

John looked over at Dean. He was now slumped with his chin against his chest. He had no idea what that thing was doing to his son, but he knew he had to stop it soon.

"A low voltage might hurt him, but it won't kill him. And we need to get him away from that damn thing."

Sam wasn't sure he liked the plan, but had no alternative. He looked toward Dean, his body was convulsing slightly and his head was still bowed.

"Dad." Sam whispered.

John looked toward Dean, then looked at Ben. "Ready?"

The two groups started to move again, this time faster and with more of a purpose. John was thankful no one said _set phasers on stun_. He was annoyed with himself for even thinking it. As soon as they were close enough, John and Ben aimed the stun guns and fired. The Ausländer made a sound like a scream and Dean almost looked like he was having a seizure. The creature fell backward and as soon as his hand was off of Dean's shoulder, Sam rushed forward with one of the other hunters.

It took longer for the creature to become solid using the lower voltage, but as soon as it did, Caleb hit it with the flame thrower. It fell toward Dean with a yell, but Sam and the other hunter got him free of the tree and moved him just in time. Sam couldn't tell if he was conscious or not, but he certainly wasn't moving on his own.

John watched as the Ausländer burned. Once he was sure it wouldn't be moving again, and that the other hunters had the situation under control, he ran to his sons. Dean's head rested on Sam's lap and the younger brother watched as Raul examined him. John knelt at Dean's feet and caught Sam's eye as he put a hand on Dean's leg. The younger boy was shaking slightly and looked away before John could see his tears.

"Raul?"

"He needs a hospital, John."

Sam held onto his brother's collar.

"Come on, Sammy." Caleb said coming up behind him. "We've got to carry Dean back to the road."

"Dean –" Sam said, his voice cracking.

John looked pleadingly at Caleb. He put his hand on Sam's shoulder. "Come on, Slick,"

"Sam." John said, having trouble controlling his own voice. His younger boy looked at him and nodded. He carefully put Dean's head on the ground and moved away. Four men, including John, carried Dean back to the road with Caleb and Sam following. Caleb kept his good arm around Sam's shoulders as they walked. He wasn't sure if it was more for Sam's comfort or for his own.

As far as Raul had been able to determine, Dean didn't have any broken bones. He had deep gashes in his shoulders and back and had lost a lot of blood. Before moving him, John and Raul bandaged him a best they could and managed to stop the worst of the bleeding. Dean's heart was beating strong so if any of the voltage got to him, it had apparently done no damage.

John was scared. He'd seen a lot of injuries as a hunter and he'd been injured himself, but it had never been one of his sons. At least not hurt this badly. He was glad Caleb was here because he didn't know how he'd deal with Sam. His son would expect him to be strong and to take care of things like he always did, but John wasn't sure he could do that this time. Dean's recovery would be out of his hands and John wasn't used to not being in control of a situation.

The walk to the car wasn't an easy one, but luckily the terrain was relatively flat. Finally reaching the road, they got Dean settled in the back of the Impala, his head again resting on his younger brother's lap. John sat in front, but Caleb insisted on driving. He gave his keys to Ben and the others followed them to the highway.

The nearest hospital was nearly thirty miles away; it was a quiet and tense drive. Sam kept one hand on his brother's chest and checked the bandages more often than necessary. John sat sideways in the seat, keeping an eye on his sons. Dean was pale from the blood loss and he trembled faintly. Sam didn't look much better.

oooOOOooo

Sam sat on a couch in the waiting room while John filled out the paperwork. Caleb sat close by, keeping an eye on Sam, but didn't attempt to talk to him. When John walked in, he hesitated at the door. He looked from Sam to Caleb and then back to Sam. He rubbed his face, then hesitantly moved toward his son and sat next to him.

Sam was leaning forward, his hands clasped between his knees. John mirrored his pose for a few minutes before putting his arm around Sam's shoulders and pulling him close. Sam hesitated, then rested his head against his father's chest. It had been a long time since he'd found any comfort from John's touch. When he was little there was a lot of physical contact. He could remember sitting on his father's lap and watching television with him and Dean. When he was older, he would sit between them. Gradually, the contact lessened and these days, it was practically nonexistent. Right now Sam felt much younger than fifteen; he just wanted his daddy to hold him and make everything all right.

oooOOOooo

"Mr. Wilbury?"

John looked toward the voice. Sam was asleep, his head still resting on John's chest. He managed to lay the boy on the couch without waking him and he followed the doctor to the door. Caleb stood between them and Sam.

"I'm Doctor Jenkins. I've been with your son since he was brought in. You said he was attacked by some animal?"

John nodded. "We were hiking. It happened pretty fast – could you just tell me how he is?"

"He lost a lot of blood; we had to transfuse him. Some of the scratches are very deep; the gash on his shoulder required stitches as did the one on his back. They've all been cleaned and he's been started on an intravenous antibiotic to ward off infection."

"Is he awake?"

The doctor shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I suspect it's from the blood loss because there's no head injury. You mentioned a childhood heart trauma so we checked that as well, just to be safe and didn't find any problems. I honestly don't see why he won't make a full recovery."

John nodded. "Can I see him?"

"He's being settled into a room. Give us about an hour – why don't you go to the cafeteria and get something to eat? A nurse will come for you here when you can see him."

"Dad?"

Caleb moved to the couch as Sam sat up. "We're right here, Slick. Your dad's here."

The doctor nodded at John and then left him to deal with his son.

oooOOOooo

Three hours later Dean was still asleep.

"Why won't he wake up?" Sam whispered as he sat next to his brother's bed. He looked expectantly at his father.

"The doctor said he should be waking up soon, Sammy."

"He's so pale." he said, reaching for Dean's hand, his own shaking.

John was sitting on the other side of the bed, but moved to stand next to Sam. Caleb was in the waiting room with Ben. The other hunters had followed unwritten protocol and left the area.

"Why did he do it, Dad? He stood between me and that thing – he wanted it to take him."

"He was trying to protect you, Sammy. None of this is your fault."

"It should have been me."

"No, Sammy. It should have been neither of you." John put his hand on Sam's shoulder. "But sometimes the hunt doesn't go just like it should. Sometimes it's nobody's fault; things just happen. Maybe we could have been more prepared for this, but it's not your fault."

"Dad –" Sam looked at his father with tears in his eyes.

"He's going to be okay, Sammy. The doctor said there's no reason he won't make a full recovery. Your brother is strong; he's going to be okay."

oooOOOooo

It was another hour before there was any sign that Dean was waking up. He started to move; first just his fingers and eventually his head would turn to one side and then the other. As the movement increased, Sam grew more anxious. John did, too, but he didn't want to let Sam see that.

Caleb sent Ben on his way and periodically checked on his friends, but mostly gave them time alone to be a family.

"I'll be right back, Sammy." John said, patting his shoulder.

Sam nodded, his eyes not leaving Dean's face.

A moment later Dean turned his head, drew his eyebrows together and moaned.

"Dean? Come on, man." Sam touched his arm. "Wake up, Dean."

Dean moaned again.

"Please, Dean."

"Sammy?" his voice was barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, it's me. Open your eyes, dude."

Dean seemed to struggle, but his eyes partially opened a moment later. Sam smiled at him.

"Hey, man."

"Sammy – what --?"

"You're in the hospital. The creature is dead and you're gonna be okay."

"Where's Dad?" Dean asked, his voice still low.

"He just stepped outside."

"You okay?"

Sam smiled and quickly wiped away a tear. "I'm fine, Dean, don't worry about me."

John walked in a moment later.

"Dad, he's awake." Sam said happily.

"Hey, kid." John smiled at him, putting a hand on the top of his head. "How are you feeling?"

"Weird. Tired. What happened?"

"The Ausländer cut you pretty good and you lost a lot of blood, but the doctor said you were going to be fine."

Dean nodded tiredly then looked toward his brother. Sam looked scared and even feeling as bad as he did, Dean was more concerned for him than for himself.

"Sammy –"

"Yeah?" he answered quickly and leaned forward.

"It's okay, Sammy."

John glanced at Sam and was about to say something when the doctor walked in. He smiled at Dean. "Good to see you awake. How do you feel?"

"Tired, but okay, I guess."

"You mind if I ask your father and brother to leave so I can examine you?"

Dean nodded, his eyes already slipping closed.

Sam looked at the doctor.

"I'll join you in the waiting room in a few minutes." he smiled reassuringly.

"We'll be back in a little while." John said to his son, patting him on the arm.

Dean forced his eyes open. "Okay."

John led Sam out of the room and down the hall. Caleb stood up as soon as he saw them.

"Dean's awake; the doctor is with him now." John said.

"That's good news." he smiled.

John nodded and sat down on the couch. He rubbed his face, then sat back with a sigh. "This has been one long damn day."

"That is has." Caleb agreed, sitting down next to him. "But it might be tomorrow now, I'm not sure."

John gave him a quick smile.

oooOOOooo

A few days later, the Winchesters were back at Pastor Jim's house. Dean was recovering well, but got tired more quickly than usual. The doctor had warned them about that when he released Dean, but said if he gradually increased his activity each day, he would be fine. John watched him closely, but Sam watched him even closer.

"Dean?" Sam called from his bed after the lights were out one night.

"Yeah?"

"Why did you do it?"

Dean sighed to himself. He had hoped to avoid this conversation.

"Sammy –"

He heard Sam turn onto his side, but didn't look at him. The room was dark, but not so much that he couldn't see at all.

"That thing could have killed you, Dean."

He said nothing.

"And you stood in front of me –"

"Did you forget that I'm the older brother? I'm not going to stand by while some monster goes after you. I didn't let it happen on the playground in elementary school, and I'm not going to let it happen now."

Sam was quiet and Dean thought that was the end of it.

"Dean?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it, little brother. That's what I'm here for."

John heard the conversation from the hallway and wondered exactly what Dean meant.

oooOOOooo

John looked up from the newspaper as Dean came into the kitchen the next morning. "Hey."

"Hey." Dean poured a cup of coffee and joined him at the table. "Anything interesting?"

"Not really." John folded the paper and put it aside. "How are you feeling?"

Dean slumped over the coffee cup. "I wish you and Sammy would stop asking me that. I'm okay."

"Speaking of your brother; is he still asleep?"

"No, he was just getting into the shower when I headed down. Why?"

"I want to talk to you about something."

Dean's face fell.

John put a hand on his arm. "I'm proud of you, Dean."

He couldn't help but look surprised.

"The way you protected Sammy – the way you _always_ protect Sammy; it makes me proud." John squeezed his arm. "But there's something I need you to know."

Dean looked at him.

"I need you to know that you are no less important than your brother and I hope I never made you feel that you were." John watched as Dean thought about his words while staring into his coffee. "And I was wrong to make you feel bad about his ankle. I know there's nothing you wouldn't do for your brother; I've always known that. Even before he was born, I knew you'd be a good brother. And you're a good son."

Dean blinked away tears before looking up. John smiled at him as Sam and Jim walked into the room. An hour later, the men were talking and laughing over a pancake breakfast.

oooOOOooo

Sam got more involved in the hunts and John tried to temper his reaction to Sam's injuries, but he wasn't always successful. None of them were ever a direct result of Dean not trying his best to keep Sam safe; sometimes things just went wrong. It wasn't always someone's fault and John always tried to tell himself that. Unfortunately, he didn't always tell Dean.

There were a lot of things he didn't tell Dean that he should have….

_Fin_


End file.
